Panel-bed



M. F. BAYER.

PANEL BED.

APBLlcATmN FILED FEB. s. 1920.

Patented sept. 6,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEFT i.

M. F. BAYER.

PANEL BED.

APPLICATION FILED 1258.6. 1920.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. F. BAYER.

PANEL BED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. G, 1920. 1,389,931 A PatenteSept. 6, 1921. 3SHEETS-SHEE 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHEW F. BAYER, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO SIMMONS COMPANY,

0F KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

PAN EIL-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

Application filed FebruaryV 6, 1920. Serial No. 356,580.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

' Be it known that I, MATTHEW F. BAYER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing in the city of Kenosha, county of Kenosha, and State oflisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPanellneds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in panel beds or beds of thelip-ending type, in which type of bed, folding is effected by raisingthe foot or outer end of the bed and swinging the bed substantially in avertical plane around a movable or stationary horizontal axis.

Beds of this type, when up-ended, may readily be concealed, 'either bymounting the bed on a rotatable panel or door, or otherwise screeningthe bed when it has been folded and is not in use.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a wall bed so boxedthat the op-Y` eration thereof will require a minimum of manual stren thto rovide a wall or l)anel bed of the class described in which thebalancing force is applied insubstantial accordance with the balancingrequirements regardless of the position of the bed; to provide aconstruction having a head end which does not interfere with theoperation of the bed; to provide a head end which will automaticallyassume its proper posi-` tion when the bed is unfolded; to provide a bedconstruction having relatively fewV parts and those parts of substantialand rugged character; to provide a construction comparatively free fromunwieldy or unsightly parts, which will interfere with or damage the bedclothing or the occupant of the bed; to provide a construction whichshall be offsimple and economical manufacture, while being practical andeiiicient in use and operation and in general to provide an improvedup-ending bed construction of the character referred to.

In the drawings accompanying this application, Figure 1 is an elevationof a bed equipped with myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation showing the bed in an intermediateposition between its folded and unfolded positions.

Fig. 3 is a view similarfto Fig. 1 showing the bed completely folded orin vertical position.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4 4' of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. s

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the wall or a panel to whichthe bed as a whole is connected.

The bedstead frame comprises a head end 11 and a foot end 12, both thehead and foot end being movably connected with the respective ends ofthe main frame of the bedstead. Said main frame of the bedsteadcomprises a pair of side rails 13, which in the present instance, are oftubular formation and are equipped with suitable risers 14 forsupporting the flexible fabric 15, said fi'exible bed fabric 15 beingpreferably of the link or any other approved type, and is connected bymeans of helicals 16 to y cross-angles 17 and 18.

Themattress 19, indicated by means of dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thebed-clothes, not shown, may if desired, be secured in pesition onthe'bed fabric 15, by means of a suitable clamping mechanism 20, whichclamping mechanism, however, forms no part of my present invention, butsimply serves to prevent the mattress and bedclothes from slipping downwhen the bed is up-ended.

VAs shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the foot end 12 is folded with referenceto the frame 13, such foldability being effected by means of a pair ofdissimilar links 21 and 22 which nest with reference to each other asshown in Fig. 3 when the bed is completely folded,

while ywhen the bed is unfolded, said links one of the links 21 andpivoted on the side of the cross-angle 18, may be employed to lock thelink 21 in horizontal position when the bed is unfolded,` and therebyprevent movement of the foot end 12 relative to the bedstead frame.

At each side of the wall or supporting panel 10, there is firmly securedvertically extending structural steel member 24, for instance, an angleiron section as shown best in Fig. 5. One of the iianges of said angloiron 24 is folded over as shown best at 25 in Fig. 4 and perforated toserve as a support for a fixed pivot pin 26. Said pivot pin 26 serves asa Connection or fixed pivot for the upper end of a rigid link 2r whichextends outwardly and downwardly from said pivot. The lowerl end of'saidlink 27 is pivotally connected toa pin 2 8 mounted in a smalll bracket29, secured on the side-bar 13, intermediate the length thereof butvadjacent the head-end of the frame. 1f desired, a cross angle ironmember 30 may be employed for unitingtogether the brackets on theopposite sides Vof the bedstead frame. Y

As shown best in Figs. 2 and 4, the main Y bedstead frame is'fformedwith what may Vbe termed a sub-head which, when the main or visible headend 11 is elevated, forms a continuation thereof and prevents thepillows Y and Vbedding from moving toward the panel.: vSaidsub-headcomprises a horizontally eX- tending cross-member 31 which isr supportedoirtheupper ends' of a, series ofl intermediate'uprights or fillers 32and side uprights 33 'which side upi'ights 33 are bracedto the'A sidebars 13 by means of inclined strap memi of the sub-head. In order` tomaintain the bers'34 which serve to maintain the sub-head in rigidposition at right angles to the line ofthe side-bars 13. 'Y

I Each end of the top bar 31 of the sub-head is formed with anupstanding lug 35 to which is pivoted by meansy of a pin 36, the lowerend of the side 37,`so that the lower end of the main frame will partakesubstantially of the movement of the upper end Y' head-end 11 alwaysl ina vertical position,

the lower ends of the side-ends 37 are extended down a substantialdistance below the pivot 35, so that when pressure is applied tosaidpivot in a direction to force the same toward thepanel, both theupper portion and the lower end of the head-end will be forced in thesame direction.

y During the folding movement of the bed which will be described later,the pivots 36 'f at the top of the sub-head are movedver-ti-y cally andslidably with reference to the support 10. vlnasmuch as there is, due tothe arrangement, considerable ythrust imposed upon said pivot whichthrust is supported lby the vsliding iiiain-head 11, `antiwfrictionmeans preferably are employed in connection with said-sliding movement.Said antifriction means comprise a' pairof rollers 38 indicated best inFig. 5 and mountedon hori-` zontal pins disposed transversely in theside tubes 37. The position of the pivots 39 is such as toenable therollers38 to 'project through slotted apertures `in the walls of thetubes 37. It will be understood that each of the side tubes 37 isequipped with a pair of said rollers 38, the rollers being disposed oneither side of the pivot pins 36, so as to distribute pressure and atthe same time maintain the main head-end 11 in vertical relation. l

.Referring now to the balancing mechanism it will be observed that thevlower ends ofthe structural steel uprights 24 are united togetherby anangle iron sill 40, said sill 40 being suitablyrbraced byV obliquestraps or bars V41. On the horizontal flanges of said sill 40 areriveted or otherwise suitably secured, a. pair of short angle ironsections 42, so positioned as to bring the'vertical flange thereof ashort distance away fronithesurface of the support and permit connectionVof the hooked ends 43 of a set of balancing springs 44. Y Y

Itvwill be understood that the lsaid vertical flange of the angle ironsection 42 is suit.

ablyV perforated to admit the ends of the said hooks43 and to permit thespring to assume a substantially horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3vaswell Yas a vertical position asA shown iii Fig. 1. 1

The upper ends of the springsr44of each bank are* similarly connected tothehorizontal portion of a Tshaped link 45, the upper end of which isfolded to form hinged part 46, the pin 47 lof which is secured in abracket 48. The bracket 48 may be formed of a piece of structural ironor steel bent to its required shape to admit the hingedV part 46 of thelink 45.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be observed that in the positionshown in Fig. 1, the T-shapedlink 45 constitutes simply a straightpullingY connection, betweenv the pivot pin 47 rigid with the frame andthe part 42 rigid with the support, and this relation is maintaineduntilwhen during the operation of yfolding the bed, the positionindicated `in Fig. 2 is reached. Vhen, however, the folding operation iscontinued beyond the point shown in Fig. 2, the back of 'the T-shapedlink 45 engages theun'der side -of the crossangle 49, and during furthermovement, the link 45 becomes in effect a continuation of the flange ofthe angle 49 as shown best in Fig. 3.

vThe operation of the device may now be "brieiiy described. Assumingthat the bed-V stead is in horizontal or unfolded position as shown inFig. 1, and it is desired to fold or up-end the bed, the foot end of thebed is first unlocked sofas to Vmakey itpossible for itto fold againstthe frame and the foot Vso endof the bed is Vlifted by hand'.A During ,il

equilibrium. and substantially balanced'onf the pivot 28. This conditionwill obtain until the position, substantially as shown in Fig. 2 isreached, when the line of the springs will be substantially parallel orco-incident with the general line of the rails of the bedframe. At thisinstant the balancing eii'ect of the springs will be negligible byreason of the relative positions of the link 27 and the pivots 28 and 36and the bed will be in substantial equilibrium independent of any eX-ternally applied balancing force.

During the movement of the parts from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothe completely folded position shown in Fig. 3, the arrangement of thelinks and ivots causes the weight of the bed to in e ect overbalance,and unless there were some restricting influence applied, the foot ofthe bed would swing up suddenly out of control of the person operatingthe Same.

However, with my improved arrangement, a restricting influence on suchSudden jack-knife action is provided, by reason of the fact that duringthe iinal position of the folding movement, the action of the springs 44is reversed. In other words, the springs are extended and thus resistthe folding or swinging movement. Said resisting influence of thesprings 44 is rendered fully effective by the peculiar action of theT-shaped link 45 which gives a considerable extension to the Springs 44during the final position of the folding movement.

Itv will be seen that in swinging the bed through 90O from open toclosed position or vice versa, the springs also change their angularposition about 90o with reference to the floor. Hence, with reference tothe bed the springs move through an angle of 180, such large angle ofmovement being made possible by reason of the pivotal action of the link45.

'It will be observed that when the bed is unfolded or extended as shownin Fig. 1, the only part of the mechanism which is visible is the link27 and the head end 11 is raised in such position that the appearance ofan ordinary bedstead is produced. It will also be observed that thesub-head to which the bottom of the main head end 1l is connected servesto prevent the pillows from falling down when the bed is folded as wellas preventing them from moving out of place when the bed is being used.

The details of construction herein depicted f.

being merely illustrative of a single application of my invention, thescope of my invention should be determined by reference to the appendedclaims, said claims being construed as broadly as possible consistentwith the state of the art;

Vhat I claim is:

l. In a panel bed, the combination of a relatively stationary verticalsupport, an outwardly and downwardly inclined link having its upper endpivotally connected to said support, a bed frame swingingly mountedrelative to said support and having an intermediate point in its lengthpivotally connected to the lower end of said link, whereby the end ofsaid bed-frame is forced toward said support, a supplemental head framevertically slidable on said support, vertically spaced anti-frictionrollers interposed between said support and said supplemental frame andmeans pivotally connectframe intermediate said rollers.

2. In a panel bed, the combination of a relatively stationary support, arigid link, having one of its ends pivotally connected to the upperportion of said support and having its lower end extending outwardly anddownwardly relative to said upper end, a bed-frame having anintermediate point in its length adjacent one end thereof, pivotallysupported by the lower end of said.' link, the arrangement includingbalancing means whereby the weight of said bed when unfolded, issubstantially carried by said pivot, and a supplemental bed-frameportion vertically slidable relative to said support and havingvertically spaced parts engaging said support and connected pivotallyintermediate said parts to the end of said bedframe.

MATTHEV F. BAYER.

ing said bed frame with the supplementall

